


Calm Lies and Messy Truths

by Kalira



Category: Captain Harlock
Genre: Governmental Collapse, Hope, Hugs, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:14:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25038316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalira/pseuds/Kalira
Summary: Yama is distressed by the chaos the collapse of the Gaia Coalition has brought forth, but Harlock knows the ripples of that collapse are only what had to happen as new hope was breathed into the collective hearts of humanity.
Relationships: Harlock/Yama | Logan
Comments: 7
Kudos: 26





	Calm Lies and Messy Truths

**Author's Note:**

> The first draft of this story was written two years ago, during a music shuffle challenge, to the song Animal, by Ke$ha.

Harlock paused just inside the door as it unobtrusively closed on its own, leaving himself and his lover alone in the quiet. Yama’s back was to Harlock as he watched the galaxy drift by through one wide observation window, silhouetted against the bright swirl of stars and blending into the darkness between.

After a few minutes - he was not an impatient man - Harlock began to move again, approaching and gently brushing his knuckles up the small of Yama’s back before embracing him, hand sliding over his waist to rest low on his belly. Yama jumped at the first touch, but it was only the tiniest of twitches as his breath caught, and then he relaxed backwards into Harlock’s arms, head tipping to nudge against his cheek.

Harlock smiled, nudging into the contact in return, and wound his free arm around Yama as well, hugging him a little tighter. “Something on your mind, pet?” he asked, voice low.

Yama shrugged slightly, shoulder blades pressing against Harlock’s chest. Harlock hummed and nuzzled Yama affectionately, waiting. He brushed a kiss just in front of Yama’s ear, and Yama’s lips quirked with a flash of a smile.

“Thinking about our universe. The Gaia Coalition and its lies . . . the way things are falling apart now. They _should_ be, don’t- don’t mistake me.” Yama added a little more quickly. “But it’s leaving things . . . messy, isn’t it?”

“The Gaia Coalition did many things that were wrong,” Harlock said softly, frowning as he sought out the familiar whirl of a far-off system, watching it shift slowly against the infinite backdrop of space, “but they also held peace, of a sort. They offered lies and threats, but those lies kept people . . . calm.”

“That calm, that _peace_ was not worth the ugly things it hid.” Yama said, shaking his head, his jaw set. Harlock smiled slightly and kissed his cheek again.

“I do not think so either.” Harlock agreed. “It was easy, however, and many people wish for ‘easy’, and willingly accept whatever is put to them if it preserves that. Gaia told them a shade of what they wished to hear and promised that all would be well so long as they were quiet, and kept listening. Now they must learn to pick themselves up and do some thinking for themselves - you told them that same thoughtless, effortless calm would not be allowed to continue.”

“It was important. We had to wake them up, they were. . .” Yama sighed, fingers trailing over Harlock’s wrist and hand.

Harlock hugged him a little tighter. “They may be unhappy to be forced into thinking for themselves, making choices for themselves, again. You also gave them hope, however. As you brought me hope, and forced me to stand up and think again, and change.” he said quietly, nuzzling Yama’s cheek.

Yama’s breath caught. “I didn’t. . . I didn’t do so much as all that.” he protested. “I just . . . wanted everyone to know the truth. To not live under their _lies_.”

His voice was strained with emotion.

“You did.” Harlock said as soothingly as he could. “I was ready to give up. I have been ready to give up for a very long time, in truth.” he admitted, lips almost brushing Yama’s ear. “You woke me up and lit hope in my heart again. Then you offered it to the rest of humanity.”

“You make me sound . . . bigger than I am.” Yama said, shaking his head.

“No I do not.” Harlock told him, nudging him, finally, into turning around. He obliged, letting his back rest against the viewport and facing Harlock. He watched his lover with the galaxy flowing past - so much faster than it looked, from here - around him, them, for a moment, then leaned down to kiss him, cupping his jaw with one hand, thumb brushing over his cheek just where the scar began to fade out. “You are incredible and you _were_ incredible, and without you . . . we would not be where we are, any of us. Not those of us on board this ship, not anyone across the galaxy.”

Yama flushed slightly, and Harlock nudged their noses together. “The Earth rekindled itself and you kindled hope, and a goal, for every last one of us out here looking back to it.” he said sincerely.

Yama slid his hands up to Harlock’s shoulders, squeezing, then wrapped him in an embrace, pulling him close. “I only did what I needed to, to let everyone know the truth, and choose for themselves. As you let me choose for myself.” he added more softly.

Harlock smiled against Yama’s jaw. “That is what makes you so very special.” he agreed.


End file.
